This invention relates to an accessory drive assembly for use with an internal combustion engine, and more particularly, the invention relates to an accessory drive assembly including multiple accessory drive components such as a water pump, power steering pump and/or, or alternator.
Accessory drive components are used in vehicles to provide fluid, electrical or other power for accessory systems. The accessory drive components are typically secured to an internal combustion engine by brackets and driven by belts and pulleys that are coupled to the engine""s crankshaft. Accessory drive components include water pumps, alternators, power steering pumps, air pumps, and air conditioning compressors. The accessory drive components have separate housings that are individually supported on the engine by brackets. Each accessory drive component includes a driveshaft coupled to a drive element which is driven by a drive pulley. The drive element produces power for the accessory drive systems one or more belts connect the pulleys of all the accessory drive components together to the engine""s crankshaft. Because the accessory drive components are secured to the engine separately, the components require more space in the vehicle""s engine compartment. More parts are also required because each accessory drive component has its own housing, driveshaft, and fasteners and brackets that are used to secure the component to the engine. Therefore, what is needed is an accessory drive assembly which incorporates two or more accessory drive components so that parts may be shared between the accessory drive components and the space required in the engine compartment may be reduced.
The present invention provides an accessory drive assembly for a vehicle including a housing having first and second chambers for first and second accessory drive components, respectively. The first and second accessory drive components may be a water pump and steering pump, a water pump and alternator, or some other combination of accessory drive components. First and second driven elements are disposed within the first and second chambers, respectively. The driven elements correspond appropriately to the accessory drive component. That is, the driven element for a water pump may be an impeller, and a driven element for a power steering pump may be a gerotor assembly. A common driveshaft is supported in the housing and is coupled to the first and second driven elements. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the housing may be a rocker cover. The rocker cover includes a chamber formed therein for an accessory drive component such as a water pump. A driven element is disposed within the chamber and a driveshaft is supported by the rocker cover housing and is coupled to the driven element.
In this manner, the present invention utilizes a common housing and driveshaft for multiple accessory drive components. Accordingly, the present invention provides an accessory drive assembly which incorporates two or more accessory drive components so that parts may be shared between the accessory drive components and the space required in the engine compartment may be reduced.